This invention relates generally to world wide web (WWW) sites of a type that describe goods and/or services and, more particularly, relates to a business-to-business (B2B) type of WWW site directed to providing information related to specialty chemicals, such as adhesives, sealants, coatings, lubricants and cleaners, as well as related equipment and services.
The so-called B2B type of WWW (web) site has become an important advertising component of many manufacturing and/or service-related companies. The B2B web site enables a company to not only provide a comprehensive listing of its products and/or services, but to also provide a mechanism to offer related information, such as product sheets, application notes, technical literature and the like. A listing of distributors can also be provided.
This invention provides an improved B2B web site that provides on-line information related to specialty chemicals, such as adhesives, sealants, coatings, lubricants and cleaners, as well as related equipment and services.
This invention also provides a B2B web site that supplies on-line information in a hierarchical manner with a plurality of related pages enabling the customer to contact sales professionals and technical specialists from various levels within the hierarchy.
An enterprise site and a method of operating same is provided for supplying on-line information to a customer (or a potential customer) of a provider of specialty chemicals, including adhesives, sealants, coatings, lubricants and cleaners, as well as related equipment and services. The method includes a first step of (A) providing on-line specialty chemical information with a hierarchy of related pages and screens, the information including a list containing, preferably, a plurality of recommended specialty chemical products for use in an application that the customer specifies by navigating through the hierarchy of related pages and screens. A second step (B) enables the customer to specify a distance radius at each of the levels within the hierarchy of related pages and screens of the on-line specialty chemical information. A third step (C) operates in response to the specified distance radius, and provides the customer with a list of distributors of the specialty chemicals that lie within the specified radius.
The step (B) of enabling the customer to specify a distance radius further enables the customer to specify at least one specialty chemical product, and the step (C) of providing the customer with the list of distributors in this case provides the customer with a list of distributors, located within the specified distance radius, that stock the specified at least one specialty chemical product.
A further step enables the customer to contact sales professionals and technical specialists at each of the levels within the hierarchy of related pages and screens of the on-line specialty chemical information. This step further enables the customer to fill out and submit an on-line form including comments and/or questions entered by the customer, or a description of the intended application that is entered by the customer.
The hierarchy of related pages and screens of the on-line specialty chemical information preferably includes a Product Selector, where the customer is enabled to specify an intended use for a specialty chemical product. The intended use can be selected from one of Product Assembly; Plant and Equipment Maintenance and Repair; and Printed Circuit Board or Electronics Assembly. By selecting the Product Assembly intended use, the customer is enabled to further specify one of: Seal Microporosity or Pores in Surfaces; Seal or Lock a Threaded Assembly; Bond or Seal a Non-Threaded Assembly; Coat, Pot, or Encapsulate an Assembly; Clean a Surface for Better Bond Strength; and Lubricate an Assembly.